TO THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE ON LEGAL AFFAIRS AND HUMAN RIGHTS
Secretariat of the Parliamentary Assembly
Synopsis No 2000/092
15 June 2000
The Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, meeting in Paris on 13 June 2000 with Mr Jansson in the Chair, as regards:
- European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) (Rapporteurs: Mr Jaskiernia, Poland, SOC and Lord Kirkhill, United Kingdom, SOC): held an exchange of views with Ms Casale, Chairperson of the CPT and with Mr Stevens, Executive Secretary of the CPT;
- Requests for membership of the Council of Europe:
i. Azerbaijan (Rapporteur: Mr Clerfayt, Belgium, LDR): decided to propose to the Political Affairs Committee to hold a joint meeting on this matter during the Assembly's June 2000 part-session;
ii. Monaco (Rapporteur: Lord Kirkhill, United Kingdom, SOC): heard a statement by the Rapporteur on his meeting with the Minister of State of the Principality of Monaco on 4 May 2000 in Paris;
- Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights (Rapporteur: Lord Kirkhill, United Kingdom, SOC):
i. took note that the Italian judge would be reaching the age limit laid down by the Convention and, following a proposal by the Rapporteur, instructed its Chairperson to ask the President of the Assembly to raise the question of his replacement with the President of the Committee of Ministers;
ii. instructed its Chairperson to consult the Chairpersons of the political groups regarding the reconstitution of the Sub-Committee on the Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights;
- Conference of European Ministers of Justice (London, 8-9 June 2000): heard a statement by Lord Kirkhill, representative of the Committee;
- Appointment of rapporteurs:
i. Compensation for Croatian and Bosnian investors in the former Ljubljanska Banka AG, Slovenia: Mr Jurgens (Netherlands, SOC)
ii. Freedom of movement in Europe and Free movement of persons in Europe (the two motions to be the object of a joint report): Mr Frunda (Romania, EPP/CD)
iii. Popular initiatives: Mrs Aguiar (Portugal, EPP/CD)
iv. Fundamentalist interpretation of sharia law: Mrs Vermot-Mangold (Switzerland, SOC)
v. Violation of basic human rights of the enclaved population in the occupied area of Cyprus: Mr Marty (Switzerland, LDR)
vi. Revision or preparation of an additional protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights to adapt it to current needs: Mrs Nabholz-Haidegger (Switzerland, LDR);
- Constitutional developments in Ukraine (Rapporteur: M. Eörsi, Hungary, LDR): in the absence of the Rapporteur, heard a statement by Mr Holovaty (Ukraine, LDR);
- Conflict in the Chechen Republic (Rapporteur: Mr Bindig, Germany, SOC): heard a statement by the Rapporteur on the implementation of Recommendations 1444 (2000) and 1456 (2000) and instructed him to prepare a draft opinion for the June part-session;
- Execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (Rapporteur: Mr Jurgens, Netherlands, SOC):
i. held a preliminary exchange of views on the draft report submitted by the Rapporteur;
ii. heard a statement by the Rapporteur on the case of Hakkar v. France, and instructed its Chairperson to ask the French members of the Committee to be present during its next discussion on the matter;
- Exercise of the right of conscientious objection to military service in Council of Europe member States (Rapporteur: Mr Marty, Switzerland, LDR): considered, amended and adopted a draft recommendation submitted by the Rapporteur;
- Rights of national minorities (Rapporteur: Mr Bindig, Germany, SOC): considered an introductory memorandum submitted by the Rapporteur, and instructed him to submit a draft report at a forthcoming meeting;
- Elimination of religious discrimination against Jehovah’s Witnesses: following a proposal by Mr McNamara (United Kingdom, SOC), instructed its Chairperson to write to the Bureau asking that the reference of the motion for a resolution be modified in order that the Committee be seized for report;
- European Commission for Democracy through Law ("Venice Commission") (Representative of the Committee: Mr Jurgens, Netherlands, SOC): heard a statement by the representative of the Committee on the preparation of the next meeting of the Venice Commission on 16 and 17 June 2000;
- Standards for the political handling of dealings concerning property after World War II (Rapporteur: Mr Jurgens, Netherlands, SOC): authorised the Rapporteur to be assisted by experts;
- European Conference "All different, all equal: from principle to practice" (Strasbourg, 11-13 October 2000): appointed the following members to the ad hoc sub-committee to participate in the Conference: Mr McNamara (United Kingdom, SOC), Mr Tabajdi (Hungary, SOC), Mrs Vermot-Mangold (Switzerland, SOC), Mr Akçali (Turkey, EDG), Mr Jaskiernia (Poland, SOC);
- Appointment of a representative to the meeting of the European Committee on Crime Problems (CDPC) (Strasbourg, 26-30 June 2000)): Mrs Gülek (Turkey, SOC);
- Conference «Russia and Community Law » (Moscow, 11-12 May 2000); heard a statement by Mrs Nabholz-Haidegger (Switzerland, LDR), its representative at the Conference;
- European Code on Police Ethics currently under preparation in the European Committee on Crime Problems (CDPC): instructed its Chairperson to ask the President of the Assembly to write to the Committee of Ministers requesting that the Assembly be consulted on the draft recommendation on a code of police ethics;
- Next meetings:
. Strasbourg, during the Assembly's June 2000 part-session
. Paris, Thursday 7 September 2000
Allard A. Plate, Danielle Coin, David Cupina